This Week Could Be Memorable

URGENT CLOSED-SESSION MEETING MONDAY
We begin what might be a very memorable week on Monday, with a hastily-called City Council meeting, scheduled for an unusual time - 5:30 p.m. - which appears from the announcement to be a closed session-only meeting.  The agenda is, so far, the negotiations with the various employee bargaining units on new contracts.
  
HOW DOES RIGHEIMER'S SHENANIGAN'S INFLUENCE  NEGOTIATIONS?
One must assume there has been significant reluctance on the union's parts to give much in the way of concessions, particularly in light of the public posture probable city councilman Jim Righeimer has taken in recent weeks.  The employee groups correctly assume that Righeimer is going to come after their wages and benefits - their pensions in particular - if elected on November 2nd.  I suppose if I were them I'd be stubborn about any kind of givebacks right now, even though the result might mean even more staff reductions to balance the budget.

BARLOW'S INVESTIGATION
Also pending Monday is a response from City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow regarding her investigation of the Jim Righeimer/DUI confrontation.  That event took place on Thursday, September 16th and we know she had it in her hands no later than the city council meeting of the 21st.  We're still waiting.


RIGHEIMER/ROEDER/SHAWKEY ON DUI CHECKPOINTS
This gets even more dicey because in his commentary to the editors of the Daily Pilot - published online in the OC Now blog on Friday, September 24th around 4:30 p.m. and online in the Daily Pilot about a half-hour later - which finally made print Sunday, Righeimer tells us that he's got a meeting scheduled for Monday, the 27th, with Police Chief Chris Shawkey and City Manager Allan Roeder at which the three of them will hammer out guidelines for future DUI checkpoints.

INAPPROPRIATE WHILE HE'S UNDER INVESTIGATION
I must tell you that, in my view, such a meeting while Righeimer is under investigation for inappropriate behavior which might even have been criminal - interfering with police officers in the performance of their duties - is completely unacceptable!  It's bad enough that he thinks he can demand such a meeting simply because he was inconvenienced for a few minutes while waiting to pass through the checkpoint - along with more than 3,200 other drivers that night - but it's worse that Shawkey and Roeder are going along with it.  NOTE: Shortly after 8:30 a.m. Monday morning I received a note from City Manager Allan Roeder informing me that the meeting today between him, Chief Shawkey and Righeimer has been cancelled.  He told me that even though the meeting was to discuss the requirements that go into establishing DUI checkpoints, and that it was expressly clear that NO discussion would be held about the investigation of the events of September 16th, Roeder felt it "was clearly in everyone's best interest" to cancel the meeting.  As is usually the case, Roeder made the correct decision.

RIGHEIMER'S AMENDED COMMENTARY
I've linked to Righeimer's commentary in my previous post, so you probably have read it.  If not, you can read it HERE.  If so, you noticed that the editors permitted him to correct the record in the first paragraph in which he misrepresented the date of the checkpoint.  However, we know the truth - I've made a copy of his original published commentary.  And, of course, that wasn't the only false statement in it...

UNION PRESIDENT SPEAKS
For a different view of Righeimer's performance at the DUI checkpoint you may find this video clip of Costa Mesa Police Association President Allen Rieckhof's comments to the City Council at their meeting Tuesday, September 21st.


BARLOW MUST ACT WITH HASTE
Ms. Barlow must know that this issue requires haste in resolving it.  She needs to get into her best Angela Lansbury mode and investigate the incident and report to the public her findings.  We're waiting, and not very patiently.

MEDIA INTERROGATORS MUST BE SALIVATING
Then, on Thursday, September 30th, we have the much ballyhooed "Media Feet-To-The-Fire-Forum" at the Costa Mesa Neighborhood Community Center - doors open at 6:30 p.m. - at which many local media types will interrogate not only Costa Mesa politicians, but those running in Newport Beach, too.  I imagine they're either drawing straws or arm-wrestling each other for the chance to grill Righeimer on his DUI situation.  This is going to be wonderful theater.

DEADLINE FOR FAIRGROUNDS BIDS

That same day, Thursday, is the deadline for submission by interested parties any bids for the Orange County Fair and Event Center based on the second Request for Proposals issued last month.  Because the State budget is still pending as I write this, and because we've had no word about a bill enabling the Costa Mesa sale to be completed, we assume there will be several bidders for the Fairgrounds under the new RFP.  I wouldn't be surprised to find Facilities Management West among those who have presented an offer.  And, of course, we have even more drama on that subject created by the current Fair Board, who has taken the position that the State may not have the right to sell the property in the first place, and if they do, they may have to split the proceeds with the 32nd District Agriculture Association (Fair Board).  The State's Department of General Services, through it's acting Director, has advised the Governor to ignore that little tidbit and move forward with the sale.  Ya gotta love it!

SO MANY QUESTIONS.
So, will we see Righeimer in handcuffs this week?  Will he assert the power he thinks he has as an appointed commissioner and go forward with his meeting with Roeder and Shawkey?  Will the media types at the forum Thursday shred him like cole slaw?  Will a bidder offer the Governor a price he can't refuse for the Fairgrounds?  Guess we'll find out...

Righeimer's Outlandish Obfuscation(Corrected)

SORRY - GOTTA SAY IT!
I was going to let my two previous posts Friday ferment over the weekend so you could just relax and not worry too much about your blood pressure. Then, late that afternoon, the editors of the Daily Pilot published a commentary by Costa Mesa Planning Commission Chairman Jim Righeimer, first on the OC Now blog, then shortly thereafter on the Daily Pilot blog. It will appear in print in the Daily Pilot Saturday morning. You can read the full text from the OC Now blog HERE, which includes my knee-jerk reaction in the form of a comment.

SELF-SERVING OBFUSCATION
Before I dissect Righeimer's drivel for you I must make a general comment. This is the worst piece of self-serving obfuscation I've ever seen published by a local public official. It's clear from reading Righeimer's rant that he's throwing up a smoke screen to try to distract Costa Mesa voters from his misbehavior at the DUI checkpoint a week ago. That being said, let us move forward.

HE STARTS WITH A LIE...
Right off the bat Righeimer begins with a lie. He states, "At 6:30 p.m. Sept. 23, 3,200 commuters sat in an unnecessary traffic jam because the Costa Mesa Police Department decided to run a sobriety check point at a primary intersection to the off-ramps of the San Diego (405) Freeway at Harbor Boulevard." Well, Righeimer had the date off by a full week! That DUI checkpoint occurred on Thursday, September 16th, 2010. And his assertion that it was "unnecessary" is not for him to say - it's up to the city management and the police department, not some frustrated, multiple-loser hack politician. NOTE: I received a telephone call from the editor of the Daily Pilot at 9 a.m. Monday informing me it was THEIR fault that the date was incorrectly stated in Righeimer's article. Righeimer apparently said "last Thursday" in his submission and the Associated Press Style Book requires them to use the actual date, so the editor got it wrong. I apologize to Righeimer for saying he lied about this date.

THE ONLY ONE WHO CONFRONTED POLICE
He goes on to gripe about being delayed getting to the Estancia High School football game, which I can certainly understand. However, he didn't have a son playing in the game and his inconvenience that evening was no greater than the other 3200+ drivers slowed by the checkpoint. And yet, he was the only one who felt he should attempt to exert his "authority" by jumping out of his car and confronting the officers on duty there at the time.

ARROGANT ABUSE OF AUTHORITY
In his fourth paragraph he states, "I decided to ask some difficult questions of the officers conducting this ill-advised check point. They are not used to citizens questioning their authority, which I think is a healthy thing to do." Just who does Jim Righeimer think he is, for goodness sake? That paragraph alone - and there are many more to come - demonstrates an almost unbelievable arrogance. Sure, if a resident is upset at an event like the checkpoint he can certainly make his views known through the proper channels - which does not include haranguing officers on duty. He can contact the Watch Commander or the Chief of Police and vent his spleen, but for him to interfere with officers performing their duties is well beyond any authority his warped little mind perceives himself to have. He's the Chairman of the Planning Commission, not the heir to a throne! He's lucky the police didn't slap cuffs on him for interfering with officers in the performance of their duty and throw him in the back of a police cruiser!

DEFLECTING BLAME
Then he says, "My concern for the public's safety has become a political toy for our police union." Horse manure! The police union representatives have every right to call him out when he interferes with operations in progress.

SMOKE SCREEN
Then Righeimer begins to blow the smoke. He tries to convince us that he's being persecuted by the Costa Mesa Police Unions because he's against their salaries and pensions. Clearly, this is an attempt to deflect attention to his transgressions that evening.

NO ACCIDENTS REPORTED
He tells us that he "received dozens of calls and emails from people who were tied up in the traffic jam. They witnessed near-collisions of automobiles." Well, according to the police logs for that evening, there were NO traffic collisions at that site during the checkpoint.


I KNOW DAVE SNOWDEN, AND...
He asks, "If former police chief Dave Snowden had pulled over to question a DUI checkpoint at rush hour next to the freeway, do you think we would be having this conversation?" Well, of course not! Chief Snowden is an outstanding law enforcement leader, held in high regard for his nearly 20 years of service in Costa Mesa who now holds the same job in Beverly Hills. He wouldn't charge up to officers doing their job and start yapping at them. Trust me, Mr. Righeimer, I know Dave Snowden and you're no Dave Snowden!

ANOTHER LIE...
Further on he asks, referring to Police Union President Allen Rieckhof, "Would Rieckhof have orchestrated a bunch of cops at last week's council meeting to speak out against me?" Yet another lie from Righeimer! Rieckhof spoke to the council about Righeimer's behavior and the Vice President of the Police Union, Dana Potts, delivered a very touching account of his painful, personal loss - of his fiance and their unborn daughter - to a speeding drunk driver two decades earlier. That's it - TWO police officers spoke on this issue, not "a bunch". Yes, there were around a hundred officers in the auditorium, but they were there, dressed again in white t-shirts, to show solidarity during the current budget negotiations. You can watch the streaming video of that meeting by clicking HERE, then selecting the City Council meeting of September 17th. Rieckhof's and Potts' comments come early in the "public comments" segment.

MEETING WITH ROEDER AND SHAWKEY
Righeimer then tells us that he has a meeting scheduled with the City Manager AllanRoeder and Police Chief Chris Shawkey Monday morning to "find a solution for when and where to place DUI checkpoints that are both safe and productive." Talk about nerve! What gives him the authority to demand such a meeting and, particularly, since the City Attorney is investigating his behavior at the checkpoint at this time? It seems to me that the City Manager and the Police Chief need to cancel that meeting until the full facts of the incident at the checkpoint are sorted out. Otherwise, it certainly looks like Righeimer is getting preferential treatment - something he obviously expects.

A TOWN HALL MEETING INSTEAD
It is a truly bad idea for Roeder and Shawkey to meet with Righeimer on this issue. Instead, based on the volume of comments on that particular DUI checkpoint that have been published in the local media, I suggest that a Town Hall meeting be held, open to all Costa Mesa residents who wish to express their views on the subject in general - to provide guidance to our elected and appointed leaders. Righeimer's voice is no more valuable in this discourse than yours and mine. Clearly, many of the other 3,200 people delayed in that particular checkpoint will have a view to present.

AUTHORITY NOT A BIRTHRIGHT
He goes on to tell us of his familial connections to law enforcement - as if that might somehow mitigate his behavior. Sorry, Mr. Righeimer, you have to earn the authority you seek - it is not some kind of Midwestern birthright.


OUTLANDISH ACCUSATION!
Then, after a couple paragraphs providing more smoke in the form of alleged pay and pension numbers, and considering that we're talking about a DUI checkpoint here, he begins another paragraph with this outlandishly ironic sentence: "Someone must have been drunk when they negotiated Costa Mesa's current pension deal." Now, that might be something he'd mutter to a crony while sucking suds at Gary Monahan's pub, but for a city official to make such an outlandish, demeaning published public statement only demonstrates the desperation he's feeling and the complete lack of common sense, maturity and responsibility one expects - no, demands - from a person in his position. Shame on you, Jim Righeimer.

MORE EQUINE EFFLUENT!
Before blowing more smoke about pensions costing after school programs he says the following: "Here is the bottom line. This is not about a DUI checkpoint. It's about the public employee benefits and overtime and out-of-control pensions." Again, horse manure! This issue IS about the DUI checkpoint. Righeimer is only trying to cover up his actions by changing the focus of the discussion.

RIGHEIMER'S RHETORIC ONLY COMPLICATES NEGOTIATIONS
I know we have problems with our current municipal budget. Negotiations continue - and a special city council meeting has been called for 5:30 Monday, September 27th, for a closed session discussion by the council on that very subject. The city is in a very deep hole again this year - we are more than $9 million short of balancing the budget. All the meat has been trimmed from our municipal skeleton and now we are forced to decide the painful question of which extremities must go - an arm, hand, foot, leg - to keep our city solvent. Righeimer's self-serving, dishonest and inflammatory rhetoric at this point in time only makes those negotiations more difficult.

RIGHEIMER IS UNWORTHY OF OUR TRUST
This whole "DUI" issue, and Righeimer's response to it, only drives home more clearly just why voters in this city and others, election after election, have found him unworthy of being elected to public office. Even though the candidate pool for the Costa Mesa City Council race is thin this time around, I will NOT vote for Jim Righeimer. I'd much rather take my chances with a smart, honest, dedicated, hard-working neophyte like Chris McEvoy than a self-serving, conniving, dishonest, carpetbagging political hack like Jim Righeimer, who feels somehow entitled to a seat at the big table because he's part of the Orange County Republican hierarchy, is Dana Rohrabacher's sidekick and was a supporter of Mayor Allan Mansoor. Nope, Righeimer's delusions of grandeur and his arrogant abuse of power are not for me, thanks.

WHAT, NO PHONY BADGE AND SIDE ARM?
I'm about half-surprised Mr. Righeimer didn't flash a bogus "Mike Carona sheriff's badge" and pull a gun on the police that night and demand they withdraw from the checkpoint. I know he used to have a concealed weapon carry permit at one time, plus was one of Carona's badge-carrying "favored few".

ME TO RIGHEIMER: GET OUTTA DODGE!
My suggestion to Mr. Righeimer is to take his lovely wife, beautiful daughters and warped visions of a political dynasty and haul his political gypsy caravan out of Costa Mesa. He needs to find a place where he thinks he can get away with public misbehavior, lying to the public and abuse of power and bulldoze his way to a seat of authority there.

Our Rules Vs. Riggy's Rules

RIGGY STUCK IN DUI CHECKPOINT
Last Thursday night, while apparently on the way to the Estancia High School football game, Costa Mesa Planning Commission Chairman - and multiple-attempt City Council candidate - Jim Righeimer was among more than 3200 drivers passing through a DUI checkpoint conducted by a Costa Mesa Police Department. Of that number, just under 500 were actually stopped and questioned. Most, including Righeimer, just moved right through without complication. However, he apparently was the only one, according to Joe Serna's Daily Pilot article on the event, HERE, to leap out of his car and confront the officers conducting it.

FLEXING POLITICAL MUSCLE
According to Serna's coverage, after Riggy moved through the checkpoint without being stopped, he parked in the nearby McDonald's parking lot, walked over to the police and questioned the wisdom of conducting the checkpoint at that time of day - around 6:30 p.m. According to Serna's report, officers on the scene felt that Righeimer "tried to flex political muscle because he was inconvenienced by the traffic the checkpoint created." Also according to Serna's report, Righeimer threatened to call Police Chief Chris Shawkey to get him to remove the checkpoint immediately.

NO SURPRISE TO ME
Quite honestly, this doesn't surprise me at all. During the brief four years he's lived in Costa Mesa, and particularly during his tenure on the Planning Commission, he's demonstrated many times that he feels the rules we all follow are not for him - that he somehow has some kind of divine dispensation from following the rules. Time after time I've seen him attempt to change ordinances from his perch on the planning commission dais and browbeat applicants before him if they don't follow his direction.

RIGGY AFTER PUBLIC EMPLOYEES PAY
While the City has been in very delicate negotiations with it's public employee unions in an attempt to get the budget balanced, Righeimer launched his council campaign by making it clear that he's going to go after Costa Mesa employee's salaries and benefits once he's elected. His pointed comments at the first candidate forum last month to that effect, while looking directly at members of the public safety unions present, certainly didn't endear him to our cops and firefighters and certainly didn't make on-going negotiations any easier for our elected representatives and management staff. Because of his outspoken opposition toward public safety compensation it's widely assumed that those city employees will actively campaign against him this fall.

AN IRONIC EVENT
Which makes Thursday night's event all the more ironic. I suspect that the officers in at the checkpoint, fully aware of the poor relationship between Righeimer and their rank and file, handled that confrontation with a very delicate touch. I don't know that for a fact, but hope to find out soon. As you will read in Serna's account, we do know that Righeimer's account of the event and those of officers present differ dramatically.

REQUESTING COPIES OF RECORDINGS
Today, Saturday, I emailed Chief Shawkey and City Manager Allan Roeder, asking for direction on how to obtain copies of any and all audio and/or video recordings of this event. Shawkey replied tonight that my request would be forwarded to the City Attorney. Roeder, for his part, apparently told Serna that there is an investigation taking place and that all documents and recordings would be gathered and delivered to the City Attorney. I don't know how that will affect my request. I wouldn't be surprised if the Daily Pilot makes a similar request.

MY VIEW OF RIGGY WELL KNOWN
Those of you who read this blog frequently know that Riggy's not my favorite guy. He landed in town during the middle of Allan Mansoor's re-election campaign at a time when Representative Dana Rohrabacher was actively helping Mansoor with his run for re-election. Righeimer was Rohrabacher's campaign manager at the time and is part of the Orange County Republican apparatus - sharing quarters with OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh for a while, for example.

POLITICAL PAYBACK FOR CARPETBAGGER
Riggy was appointed to the Planning Commission following Mansoor's re-election despite only having lived in our city for a few months and filing his application after the deadline. During the appointment session Mansoor brushed aside the nomination of long-time fellow Westside Improver and very long time city resident Paul Bunney not once, not twice but three times - appointing Righeimer instead. Political payback...

ARROGANCE PERSONIFIED
I've been critical of Righeimer frequently as he pontificated from the Planning Commission dais, abusing applicants and trying to make up new rules as he went. Thursday night's event may be the best example of his disregard for the rules and the arrogance that makes him think he can run roughshod over residents and city employees with impunity. It's yet another reason for me to suggest you very seriously consider whether this is the guy you want to have with his hand on the tiller of our city for the next at least four years. I sure don't.

MORE TO FOLLOW
Stay tuned to this one... more to come.

Fun In Newport-Mesa

MORE FUN THAN...
It's been an interesting week here in the land of Newport-Mesa. In addition to the budget gyrations mentioned in the two previous blog entries, there have been a few other noteworthy events, too.



CITY STOPS ENFORCING ANTI-SOLICITATION ORDINANCE
Among them is the decision made by city officials early in the week to cease enforcing the anti-solicitation ordinance that has provoked yet another lawsuit by the ACLU. We don't know all the details of specifically why, as contract City Attorney Kimberly Hall Barlow announced on Tuesday evening, they've chosen to pause in their enforcement efforts. She tells the local media, HERE and HERE, that they will hold off any further enforcement efforts until the results of an appeal of a similar case involving the city of Redondo Beach is resolved. While you're at those sites, take a peek at the comment threads for a little perspective on how some of the "open-minded" folks who live around you feel. The Register site is particularly enlightening.

OC VOICE BLOG INTERVIEWS CHIEF SHAWKEY
I invite you to visit the Orange Coast Voice blog, HERE. Over in Huntington Beach Editor John Earl and his staff has produced quite an outstanding series of video clips on the subject of the Costa Mesa efforts to enforce the anti-solicitation ordinance which includes an extensive interview with Costa Mesa Police Chief Christopher Shawkey. A peek at those YouTube clips will be very informative for those of you who have an interest in this story. Congratulations to Earl and his team on this excellent report.

FOLEY FIGHTS BACK
At the City Council meeting Tuesday night councilwoman Katrina Foley tossed some of the venom pitched her way earlier by The Mouth From Mesa North, as reported in an earlier post. Well, the Daily Pilot reported her comments today. You can read them in the Political Landscape column HERE. It's about time someone starts standing up to that racist bully. He's ranted his displeasure with Costa Mesa for more than a decade. The Mouth is obviously unhappy with the demographics of our city. My suggestion is, in the interests of his mental health, he seek greener (or whiter) pastures. I imagine there are some folks in Idaho who would welcome him with open arms. I'll buy the bus ticket.

NEWPORT BEACH TESTS IT'S ALERT SYSTEM
Our pals in Newport Beach are defending their use of their automated telephone alert system to warn residents to stay away from the shoreline during the recent Chilean earthquake-induced tsunami scare. You can read the Register article on the tsunami HERE, and the Daily Pilot article HERE and Newport Beach City Manager Dave Kiff's commentary HERE. Even though the threat turned out to be nothing at all, I think they did the correct thing. The tsunami manifested itself as ripples on local beaches, but it's better to be safe than sorry.


*(Addendum)
CORONA DEL MAR TODAY SCOOPS OTHER MEDIA ON TSUNAMI ALERT
A writer dropped me a note after this post was published to let me know that this whole "Tsunami Alert Failure" story was actually broken by Amy Senk at the Corona Del Mar Today blog. Amy, not just your average blogger, is a real journalist who does a great job covering issues involving the village of Corona del Mar and nearby locales. Unfortunately, she doesn't always get the credit she deserves for her coverage of important issues. You can read her entry on this issue HERE.


YOUNG "ACE REPORTER" SCOOPS THE LOCAL MEDIA
The earliest local report on the earthquake and tsunami threat was produced by a local high school sophomore, Melanie de Arakal, who, after hearing the international news reports that morning, sprang out of bed and fired off an entry in the online version of the Corona Del Mar High School Trident, HERE. If that name looks a little familiar, this budding reporter is the daughter of my friend, former Daily Pilot columnist and Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman, Byron de Arakal. It certainly looks like those "ace reporter" skills are in her genes. Congratulations to Melanie for her timely and excellent reporting. Incidentally, young Melanie is also a budding basketball star at Corona del Mar. You can read more about her enthusiasm for the game, and one player in particular, HERE.

MONAHAN GIVES THE CITY "THE FINGER" - AGAIN
Councilman Gary Monahan apparently continues to believe the rules are for others and don't apply to him. You will recall that in recent months he displayed an illegal banner on the front of his gin mill announcing Sunday Night Football. Even though the city Code Enforcement folks advised him to remove it, he stretched it out as long as he could. He was cited for that infraction. Well, he's at it again and this time not only is he violating the law with another illegal banner in the same place, he's thumbing his nose at the city by posting it on his Facebook page. Here's what his announcement looked like:
IGNORES THE COUNCIL - AGAIN
As I said the last time Monahan pulled this kind of stunt, I don't have a problem with temporary banners announcing a special event. However, Monahan made his case to his peers on the council the last time and was rebuffed. He went right ahead with the other banner and here he is with another. These kind of shenanigans should be kept in mind if (when) he dredges up the "directly-elected mayor" scheme later this year. He apparently sees himself as a kind of "mayor for life" and wants to put the issue before the people. His scheme excludes term limits, by the way. As always, it seems that all he cares about is what's in it for him. Don't worry, I'll remind you of his banner transgressions when the time comes.

Sorry, Chief - I Just Don't Feel Safer

COSTA MESA VIOLENT CRIME UP
Earlier this month the local media reported that, while crime rates dropped in most big Orange County cities, Costa Mesa was one of two - the other being Huntington Beach - that showed a rise in violent crime. Costa Mesa's numbers jumped a whopping 35.7%! You can read the Orange County Register article on this subject HERE.

THE CHIEF SPEAKS
Costa Mesa's Police Chief, Christopher Shawkey - apparently feeling a lot of heat from those numbers - wrote a commentary in the Daily Pilot which appears today in print. You can read the chief's article HERE. (Note: The Chief's commentary appeared verbatim in the Orange County Register's "The Current" local supplement today, too.)

NEEDED A HUG - GOT A STIFF ARM
When I saw the title, "Explaining rise in violent crime", I expected Chief Shawkey's words to provide me with some comfort. They didn't. I hoped to come away from his commentary less tense about the crime situation in our city. I didn't. In his second paragraph the chief said he felt compelled to "provide some clarity to the city's true crime picture". He didn't.

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
He starts by telling us that robberies decreased by 37% between 2006 and 2007. That, of course, is great news. He goes on to tell us that in 2008 it bounced back up to almost the same level as 2006, which - in his words - "was consistent with reported robberies for the past several years, accounting for a large part of the increase in violent crime." Sorry, chief, but that doesn't make me feel safer.

NOT COUNTING CRIMES?!
Then he tells us that his police department - my police department - has been screwing up when reporting certain offenses - they just didn't report them! Yikes! He continues to tell us that his officers have now been trained, so all those crimes are now being reported and that is the reason for the increase in violent crimes. Swell. I still don't feel safer, although I do feel nervous about who's counting what at the CMPD.

NOT AS BAD AS SANTA ANA? - SWELL!
Then, apparently trying to finally make us feel better, he gives us a little chart comparing crime rates in other Orange County cities, illustrating that Costa Mesa is better than places like Santa Ana, Anaheim, Garden Grove and shares the same statistics with Fullerton. He then tells us that, "Even though those cities reported a reduction in their number of violent crimes, their violent crime rates are equal to, or greater than, ours." What?! C'mon, chief - is that supposed to make me feel safer? It doesn't.

GOOD NEWS - KINDA
He wraps it up by telling us that car thefts are down 25%, sexual assaults are down, gang-related arrests are up 30%, DUI-related arrests are high and traffic-related deaths are down. All this is good information.

THE CHIEF'S UNDER PRESSURE
I understand the kind of pressure the chief must be under these days. The city is in the midst of perhaps the greatest financial crisis in it's history with staff cuts almost guaranteed. Rising crime statistics will make it difficult for him and the other city leaders to deal with the police union as they attempt to negotiate mitigation of their current contracts to help the city balance it's budget.

THE CHIEF MISSED THE TARGET
I'm a great supporter of law enforcement. I understand and appreciate the job those brave men and women do for us every single day. I do have an understanding of the kind of person it takes to run a police department effectively - I know several strong, effective law enforcement leaders personally. One of the characteristics a law enforcement leader needs is the ability to help the residents to feel safe in the time of stress and uncertainty. In my opinion, Chief Shawkey failed to do it with his commentary.